Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The 2014 Commonwealth Games Committee
First what were they? In reality they were a government organization. They were financed almost 100% by the three levels of governments. They came into being at the request of HRM, reported to HRM and needed HRM’s approval to continue. As well HRM was the only signatory backing and guaranteeing the deal. They can be considered nothing else but an agency of the HRM council. Therefore they are a government agency and should be open to full public. scrutiny.
We were told that they had $450,000 in donations from private companies. This was not true the donations were, for the most part, “in kind” services, facilities, office furniture and other such needed items either donated or given for use at reduced costs. Even this vanished later on as I will show. Despite the fact that those in the know knew these donations were not actual cash Mayor Kelly told me, when he was on the Hot Line Show, that this money would pay for the 27 person junket to Melbourne. He was wrong on two counts the junket cost more than this ($733,000) and there was never $450,000 in cash to start with so who paid for this junket?
Suddenly when the plug was finally pulled on this financial black hole the “in kind” donations did a vanishing act. The people involved said oops they were supposed to be full price and or leased and, in many cases, the same people who profited from this error were directly involved with the board who said, that’s OK well just write you checks to cover it all and drain every cent from the bid coffers.
Documents were finally turned over to the Coast Magazine but names on checks were removed. Who got paid what? Were any of the numerous Civil and Municipal employees double dipping? Drawing their salary and a salary from the games coffers? What about tax fraud? Did they claim these donations, that were not donations, on their tax returns?
Again, many of those who profited were members of that very committee as were many who profited when the in kind donation rule was changed. The examples of conflict of interest are rampant throughout this deal from start to finish.
Money went from the bid committee’s coffers to at least three of the civic organizations Fred MacGillivary was involved in yet, despite that we has one of the head men in each section, he says knows nothing about it.
Again, private business would never be allowed to operate like this therefore neither the 2014 Commonwealth Games Committee. I would like to see a full independent audit done on the 2014 Commonwealth Games Bid Committee’s books and all the results made public and charges of fraud or misappropriation of funds charges laid if and where warranted.
To see even more questionable spending read the full article from the Coast by Tim Bousquet at http://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/Home
We were told that they had $450,000 in donations from private companies. This was not true the donations were, for the most part, “in kind” services, facilities, office furniture and other such needed items either donated or given for use at reduced costs. Even this vanished later on as I will show. Despite the fact that those in the know knew these donations were not actual cash Mayor Kelly told me, when he was on the Hot Line Show, that this money would pay for the 27 person junket to Melbourne. He was wrong on two counts the junket cost more than this ($733,000) and there was never $450,000 in cash to start with so who paid for this junket?
Suddenly when the plug was finally pulled on this financial black hole the “in kind” donations did a vanishing act. The people involved said oops they were supposed to be full price and or leased and, in many cases, the same people who profited from this error were directly involved with the board who said, that’s OK well just write you checks to cover it all and drain every cent from the bid coffers.
Documents were finally turned over to the Coast Magazine but names on checks were removed. Who got paid what? Were any of the numerous Civil and Municipal employees double dipping? Drawing their salary and a salary from the games coffers? What about tax fraud? Did they claim these donations, that were not donations, on their tax returns?
Again, many of those who profited were members of that very committee as were many who profited when the in kind donation rule was changed. The examples of conflict of interest are rampant throughout this deal from start to finish.
Money went from the bid committee’s coffers to at least three of the civic organizations Fred MacGillivary was involved in yet, despite that we has one of the head men in each section, he says knows nothing about it.
Again, private business would never be allowed to operate like this therefore neither the 2014 Commonwealth Games Committee. I would like to see a full independent audit done on the 2014 Commonwealth Games Bid Committee’s books and all the results made public and charges of fraud or misappropriation of funds charges laid if and where warranted.
To see even more questionable spending read the full article from the Coast by Tim Bousquet at http://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/Home
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Let's get council's doors open and get some answers. It's our money they are spending
The accepted way of doing business in HRM government is to run as close as possible to total secrecy. Meetings are held behind closed doors. When they open the doors they read off lists of things settled earlier in camera then vote on them calling for questions with time limits on them.
The people of London Ontario took their council to court and the Supreme Court quashed a by-law they had passed because it was debated behind closed doors and only voted on in public. Sounds like 99% of HRM’s council’s work doesn’t it?
One of the better examples of this was the Commonwealth Games. Millions were spent and, even now, we don’t know where. Mayor Kelly told me on the Hot Line Show that there was a secrecy deal between the three levels of government. I wrote the Federal Minister and have his letter saying no such deal was in place.
Again Mayor Kelly promised (two or three times)to produce a tax dollar paid for feasibility study done on hosting the games but never produced it. From what I was told "people" (or one person?) on the games committee did not want it published. Makes you wonder who is really running the city doesn't it?
The tax reform deal was all presented to us as a done deal. Council made a big deal about the public hearings (after the fact) but these were the ultimate dog and pony show. No questions and answers allowed for. It was a typical HRM read what we wrote deal.
On Wednesday I am going to look at some of the many unanswered questions from the Commonwealth Games. I know I can members of the games committee and HRM council saying, “here we go again” or “it’s over let it die”. Why? Why can’t we get answers on where OUR money went? Is there a problem with who may get caught with his or her hand in the cookie jar?
Perhaps it's time (or even well past the time) for the taxpayers of HRM to take the City Council into court to force open the doors of council chambers like they did in London Ontario.
The people of London Ontario took their council to court and the Supreme Court quashed a by-law they had passed because it was debated behind closed doors and only voted on in public. Sounds like 99% of HRM’s council’s work doesn’t it?
One of the better examples of this was the Commonwealth Games. Millions were spent and, even now, we don’t know where. Mayor Kelly told me on the Hot Line Show that there was a secrecy deal between the three levels of government. I wrote the Federal Minister and have his letter saying no such deal was in place.
Again Mayor Kelly promised (two or three times)to produce a tax dollar paid for feasibility study done on hosting the games but never produced it. From what I was told "people" (or one person?) on the games committee did not want it published. Makes you wonder who is really running the city doesn't it?
The tax reform deal was all presented to us as a done deal. Council made a big deal about the public hearings (after the fact) but these were the ultimate dog and pony show. No questions and answers allowed for. It was a typical HRM read what we wrote deal.
On Wednesday I am going to look at some of the many unanswered questions from the Commonwealth Games. I know I can members of the games committee and HRM council saying, “here we go again” or “it’s over let it die”. Why? Why can’t we get answers on where OUR money went? Is there a problem with who may get caught with his or her hand in the cookie jar?
Perhaps it's time (or even well past the time) for the taxpayers of HRM to take the City Council into court to force open the doors of council chambers like they did in London Ontario.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Mayor Kelly a bipedal oxymoron??
As we all know an oxymoron is a term that contradicts itself such As Jumbo Shrimp or, as they say in M*A*S*H, Army intelligence.
Bipedal means two footed so let’s look at out civic leader. It’s evident that he only has two feet so the bipedal description is OK. In order to decide if the oxymoron tag fits let’s look at his past record.
This is the man who, as Councilor Kelly, objected so strongly to the excessive cost of new chairs for the council members that he very theatrically (and some say childishly) dragged his old chair into chambers refusing to sit in the new more costly one.
When John Savage shoved the horrendous costs of forced amalgamation down our throats (about the same time as the blended sales tax that cost Nova Scotians about a billion annually and the toll highway on the way to Amherst) Councillor Kelly was on a perpetual rant about the secrecy of Council meetings complaining that the chambers should be open to the public more than they were.
Councillor Kelly rode these twin concerns, needless costs and secrecy to the Mayor’s chair now let’s take a look at the changes he bought with him.
He now seems to be the person who hold’s the tax vault doors open while Fred MacGilliavry (retired) and his ilk raid the coffers to shower themselves in glory or make money for the downtown bars at the cost of the HRM taxpayer. His high-speed ferry is just one of his high cost low efficiency and debt laden ideas. Nothing seems too far-fetched or too costly to him now.
As far as closed door meetings and secrecy goes Mayor Kelly unlike Councillor Kelly not only sees nothing wrong with it but has increased that aspect of Council to the point that he makes all past Mayors and even Howard Hughes look like exhibitionists.
What happened to fiscally conservative, Peter Kelly who championed more open civic government? Was he taken over by some sort of science fiction monster from outer space?
Perhaps Mayor Kelly could take a few minutes and tell us where Councilor Kelly vanished to.
Bipedal means two footed so let’s look at out civic leader. It’s evident that he only has two feet so the bipedal description is OK. In order to decide if the oxymoron tag fits let’s look at his past record.
This is the man who, as Councilor Kelly, objected so strongly to the excessive cost of new chairs for the council members that he very theatrically (and some say childishly) dragged his old chair into chambers refusing to sit in the new more costly one.
When John Savage shoved the horrendous costs of forced amalgamation down our throats (about the same time as the blended sales tax that cost Nova Scotians about a billion annually and the toll highway on the way to Amherst) Councillor Kelly was on a perpetual rant about the secrecy of Council meetings complaining that the chambers should be open to the public more than they were.
Councillor Kelly rode these twin concerns, needless costs and secrecy to the Mayor’s chair now let’s take a look at the changes he bought with him.
He now seems to be the person who hold’s the tax vault doors open while Fred MacGilliavry (retired) and his ilk raid the coffers to shower themselves in glory or make money for the downtown bars at the cost of the HRM taxpayer. His high-speed ferry is just one of his high cost low efficiency and debt laden ideas. Nothing seems too far-fetched or too costly to him now.
As far as closed door meetings and secrecy goes Mayor Kelly unlike Councillor Kelly not only sees nothing wrong with it but has increased that aspect of Council to the point that he makes all past Mayors and even Howard Hughes look like exhibitionists.
What happened to fiscally conservative, Peter Kelly who championed more open civic government? Was he taken over by some sort of science fiction monster from outer space?
Perhaps Mayor Kelly could take a few minutes and tell us where Councilor Kelly vanished to.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
When everybody thinks alike then nobody us thinking
.
I read this line in a book last week and it struck me how well it applies to government. In Provincial and Federal government where agreement with the party is sacred law for all intents and purposes. You vote the party line in a sheep-like manner no matter what the cost to the people who elected you to represent their interests or else. If not it's good-bye Charlie or Bill Casey whichever the case may be. Recently Cuba's Castro kicked two people out of their government positions for speaking out against some of his policies the same as Harper did to Casey. This tends to lend credence to the statement that we are living in an elected dictatorship.
It also seems to be well embedded in Municipal politics as well. You only have to look at the string of unanimous votes supporting the Commonwealth games despite all the evidence showing them to be an economic black hole.
The first question here is what do we elect people for. Do we send them to look out for our interests and well being of for the party's, big business and their friends interests? The second question is how do we get them to change the system and look after the people who sent them to the Legislature: Parliament or City Hall instead of the party's interests, business and their friends.
I read this line in a book last week and it struck me how well it applies to government. In Provincial and Federal government where agreement with the party is sacred law for all intents and purposes. You vote the party line in a sheep-like manner no matter what the cost to the people who elected you to represent their interests or else. If not it's good-bye Charlie or Bill Casey whichever the case may be. Recently Cuba's Castro kicked two people out of their government positions for speaking out against some of his policies the same as Harper did to Casey. This tends to lend credence to the statement that we are living in an elected dictatorship.
It also seems to be well embedded in Municipal politics as well. You only have to look at the string of unanimous votes supporting the Commonwealth games despite all the evidence showing them to be an economic black hole.
The first question here is what do we elect people for. Do we send them to look out for our interests and well being of for the party's, big business and their friends interests? The second question is how do we get them to change the system and look after the people who sent them to the Legislature: Parliament or City Hall instead of the party's interests, business and their friends.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Trip to Whistler! Work or Junket?
Pulp and paper mill closes, call center closes and workers hours cut back. These are not fairy tales, they are headlines from Nova Scotia and HRM in the past week or so yet, while the working class watch jobs vanish, wages being cut while personal bankruptcies and home foreclosures rise in Canada our elected officials seem content to keep spending as usual, particularly where they themselves are concerned. The trip to BC by eight members of council is a prime example. If it is necessary, and personally I doubt it, send at most two people and they can brief the council when they return.
Personally I love the excuses (note excuses not reasons) for going on these junkets.
Councilor Walker says, "He is particularly interested in touring Whistler’s waste treatment facility". A bit late for that Russell unless you’re planning on buying a treatment system to handle the over flow from the treatment system you just bought.
Councillor Walker again! This time Russell tells us how we learned about the count down walk lights during a junket to Montreal. Russell how did Montreal learn about them? I find it hard to believe that our well-paid traffic engineers weren’t told about this innovation by the sales reps from the companies involved.
Councilor Sloane says, " She will also review Whistler’s security plans for the Winter Olympics, some of which she hopes will be relevant to Halifax’s hosting of the Canada Winter Games in 2011". I doubt if any terrorist group is even aware of these games Dawn.
Personally I love the excuses (note excuses not reasons) for going on these junkets.
Councilor Walker says, "He is particularly interested in touring Whistler’s waste treatment facility". A bit late for that Russell unless you’re planning on buying a treatment system to handle the over flow from the treatment system you just bought.
Councillor Walker again! This time Russell tells us how we learned about the count down walk lights during a junket to Montreal. Russell how did Montreal learn about them? I find it hard to believe that our well-paid traffic engineers weren’t told about this innovation by the sales reps from the companies involved.
Councilor Sloane says, " She will also review Whistler’s security plans for the Winter Olympics, some of which she hopes will be relevant to Halifax’s hosting of the Canada Winter Games in 2011". I doubt if any terrorist group is even aware of these games Dawn.
Sheila Fougere tells she learned, at on earlier junket that establishing a 311 telephone system for municipal inquiries was not viable because we already had a "better working system here,” Too bad she didn’t impart this information to Councillor Linda Mosher who was recently pushing to have a 311 system implemented as soon as possible.
Do these people even talk to each other?
As for the money that the city will get in 2011 when the conference is here, the city will get next to nothing. The province and downtown merchants will profit. How much have we spent of trips so far to these junkets to get the one in 2011 and what will be the unrecoverable cost to the HRM taxpayer to host the 2011 event. The cost will not be offset by the income.
This is a very good example of putting lipstick on a pig. It may look better but it’s still a pig so the Gazette’s Lipstick on a Pig Award goes to the members of council traveling to Whistler and the other members of council who seem to accept this as OK.
Our fiscally responsible award goes to Gloria McCluskey for speaking out against it and calling it what it is…a waste of tax dollars.
If you are tired of the entitled few being entitled to their entitlements while the rest of us have to make do call the mayor at 490-4010 or contact the mayor and/or your councilor by using the index on the left of the screen.
Do these people even talk to each other?
As for the money that the city will get in 2011 when the conference is here, the city will get next to nothing. The province and downtown merchants will profit. How much have we spent of trips so far to these junkets to get the one in 2011 and what will be the unrecoverable cost to the HRM taxpayer to host the 2011 event. The cost will not be offset by the income.
This is a very good example of putting lipstick on a pig. It may look better but it’s still a pig so the Gazette’s Lipstick on a Pig Award goes to the members of council traveling to Whistler and the other members of council who seem to accept this as OK.
Our fiscally responsible award goes to Gloria McCluskey for speaking out against it and calling it what it is…a waste of tax dollars.
If you are tired of the entitled few being entitled to their entitlements while the rest of us have to make do call the mayor at 490-4010 or contact the mayor and/or your councilor by using the index on the left of the screen.
Friday, March 20, 2009
THE GREATER HALIFAX PARTNERSHIP. WHY?
If you look at exactly what the Greater Halifax Partnership does, or claims to do, they appear to be duplication, triplication or (with apologies to me grammar teachers) a fourplication of services that already exist in the federal and provincial governments as well as in the private sectors.One big difference is they appear to be in the high-risk loan business.
They are listed as an unsecured creditor for Nova Scotia Glass to the tune of $17,645.05 in issue # 552 of Frank Magazine. This is all fine and well except for one slight problem? Where are they getting the money they are passing out? They are not a bank, finance company, trust company or credit union. Where does the money come from?If you look in the minutes of HRM council around budget time you will see that HRM council votes this company over a million dollars of HRM tax dollars annually to operate.
How many municipal tax dollars are funneled through this organization into local businesses? How much in high risk loans? How much in grants? The city council is forbidden by law to put money into for profit companies. Could this be simply a front to skirt this law? Where else does the partnership get it’s financing?
If it is a viable and needed business why does it need over a million dollars annually to run? In difficult economic times (or even in good times) this set up seems to be one big waste of HRM tax dollars, tax dollars that could be used to clear snow, repair roads or any on the numerous tasks HRM council is mandated to do but are always falling short on.Its time that government at all levels took a hard look at where our tax dollars are being spent with an eye to cutting costs and this seems, to me, to be one of the better places if not the best place to start in with the tax saving axe.
I guess the bottom line question here is just who is on the hook for this money, The Greater Halifax partnership as a private business like a bank or us the HRM taxpayers.
Bruce DeVenne
They are listed as an unsecured creditor for Nova Scotia Glass to the tune of $17,645.05 in issue # 552 of Frank Magazine. This is all fine and well except for one slight problem? Where are they getting the money they are passing out? They are not a bank, finance company, trust company or credit union. Where does the money come from?If you look in the minutes of HRM council around budget time you will see that HRM council votes this company over a million dollars of HRM tax dollars annually to operate.
How many municipal tax dollars are funneled through this organization into local businesses? How much in high risk loans? How much in grants? The city council is forbidden by law to put money into for profit companies. Could this be simply a front to skirt this law? Where else does the partnership get it’s financing?
If it is a viable and needed business why does it need over a million dollars annually to run? In difficult economic times (or even in good times) this set up seems to be one big waste of HRM tax dollars, tax dollars that could be used to clear snow, repair roads or any on the numerous tasks HRM council is mandated to do but are always falling short on.Its time that government at all levels took a hard look at where our tax dollars are being spent with an eye to cutting costs and this seems, to me, to be one of the better places if not the best place to start in with the tax saving axe.
I guess the bottom line question here is just who is on the hook for this money, The Greater Halifax partnership as a private business like a bank or us the HRM taxpayers.
Bruce DeVenne
Thursday, March 19, 2009
CAPTAIN KELLY'S HIGH SPEED FERRY
Somebody once said a boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money. Why then is HRM council prepared to annually pour millions of our hard earned tax dollars into a high speed ferry from Bedford (the Mayor's home port) and Halifax? Councillor David Hendsbee, on the now defunct and greatly missed Rick Howe Hot Line Show, told me that people would come from Sackville, Upper Sackville, Beaverback and Mount Uniack to use this service.
I ask you to think about this for a minute. Who is going to get off a 100 KPM highway that takes them easily and quickly into work to get on the 50 KPH Hammonds plains road so they can park, wait for a shuttle service, take that to the ferry and pay $15.00 for a trip that will see them taking one or more buses to get to where they are going in Halifax then do it all in reverse after work? Very few that I can think of.
For what this ferry service will cost we could put a couple of dozen new buses on the road. Buses that could go where needed not in a straight line from point A to point B and back again. It's time this council started spending our tax dollars intelligently supplying needed services not pipe dreams.
If you are tired of seeing your money wasted on grandiose ideas like the Commonwealth Games and high speed ferries speak up. You can contact the Mayor and your councillor by using the index on the left.
Bruce DeVenne
I ask you to think about this for a minute. Who is going to get off a 100 KPM highway that takes them easily and quickly into work to get on the 50 KPH Hammonds plains road so they can park, wait for a shuttle service, take that to the ferry and pay $15.00 for a trip that will see them taking one or more buses to get to where they are going in Halifax then do it all in reverse after work? Very few that I can think of.
For what this ferry service will cost we could put a couple of dozen new buses on the road. Buses that could go where needed not in a straight line from point A to point B and back again. It's time this council started spending our tax dollars intelligently supplying needed services not pipe dreams.
If you are tired of seeing your money wasted on grandiose ideas like the Commonwealth Games and high speed ferries speak up. You can contact the Mayor and your councillor by using the index on the left.
Bruce DeVenne
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